County misses deadline for comprehensive plan report

MARK PETTUSSt. Johns Sun

Published Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The state has imposed a moratorium on all but the largest developments requiring comprehensive plan amendments in St. Johns County, because St. Johns officials missed a deadline for submitting an important report to the Florida Department of Community Affairs.

Every seven years each local government in the state is required to evaluate and appraise its comprehensive plan and submit a report to the Department of Community Affairs. St. Johns County's report was due in September, but has not yet been submitted.

Until it is submitted and approved by the department, the county is prohibited from approving most comprehensive plan amendments.

A form letter from the department, sent to all city and county governments in the state on Jan. 28, warns that failing to meet the deadline means no future land use map amendments or comprehensive plan amendments will be accepted from the county except those related to Developments of Regional Impact and those required by statute.

Developments of Regional Impact are large. Each contains more than 1,000 homes. St. Johns County has several under development, including RiverTown at the west end of County Road 210, and Nocatee near the east end.

According to Department of Community Affairs spokesman Jon Peck, St. Johns County is one of 38 counties or municipalities in the state that failed to meet the deadline.

Clay County submitted its report on time, as did Duval, but Green Cove Springs, Keystone Heights and Nassau County each missed its deadline.

St. Johns County officials insist missing the deadline for submitting its report was no accident.

County Growth Management Services Director Teresa Bishop says that although she considers failing to report on time a "black eye" for the county, it is because of a conscious decision by the County Commission.

Commission Chairman Tom Manuel accepts responsibility for the delay in reporting to the state.

"We're going to take our time and do this right. It's going to be a deliberative process and we're going to think about what it is we want to see happen in the county in the future," he said.

Bishop expects the county will be ready to submit its report to the Department of Community Affairs in June. In the meantime, she says, 10 comprehensive amendments have been submitted and put on hold by the department's prohibition.